Saturday, 29 November 2008

I have created this page using a Liz Weber Sketch from the Crafting In Style site. I had to take the photo inside tonight and I am not a happy snapper!!!! Basically I was up in our bathroom, Layout balanced on the edge of our shelf, me crouched down on the ground and shooting upwards as this seemed to be the only way that I was able to avoid flash glare on the photos, argghhhhhhhh!!!!!! It also doesn't help the photos were pre-digital, so there is only so much you can do with them.

This is another quite simple page, as it is layering, matting and tearing.

When I saw this title the photos I knew exactly which photos I wanted to use. So I used a font nearest to the one on the sketch and printed it onto A4 copier paper, which I then sized up on the actual cardstock. I had to do this twice as the first time the writing was way too big. I then cut the cardstock to A4 and ran it through my printer. I then put the two pieces back together by matching up the cut sides and using masking tape down the back. You actually don't notice the join until it is pointed out to you, it's just before the bottom swirl begins. This of course would of been easier if my paper tearing was better and I could of hid the join behind the paper! I hope this helps anyone else wanting to give this a go, any questions do ask!

The longest part was the bling swirl, as I have done it all myself, I can't see the point of paying out a lot of money for the pre-done ones, especially as there is other stash that I couldn't possibly do without. So out with my pencil, my stash of crystals, my piercing tool, chopstick and pva glue. First of all I drew the swirls in pencil very lightly on the page, then arranged the crystals by size on the table. I then got my piercing tool, ya I know but the tip on it is perfect for applying just the right amount of glue. I traced a thin line on the pencil mark a little at a time, and proceeded to stick the crystals down as I went along. It hasn't turned out too bad, I think

Question for you all do you know of somewhere that I can buy crystals in all different colours and shapes. The Mark Richards crystals are fantastic but a little pricey for something like the above project. I bought the stash I have from the Studio 24 catalogue, but I don't buy anything from there anymore. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The wording on the sticker say: Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess ..... I thought this would be perfect as the page will be near the front of Aimee's album.

Stash Used

Card Stock - White BazzillPatterned Papers - Chloe's Closet - Afternoon Tea - Chai Stripe and Wild Strawberry Dot, these have been given to me by Micayla in an RAK, thank you MicaylaPink Flowery paper - this paper feels like velvet to touch (just right for a baby page) I also received this in an RAK but this time from Kels, thank you KelsFlowers - Large pink flower from a flower I took apart and Prima - Painterly Petals - UrbanInk - Tim Holtz - Antique PhotoSticker - K & Company - Brenda Walton - Princess tagsBrad - Papermania - Spring Life

Okay call me a glutton for punishment but ..... I have set up another blog - yeah I know but I was talking to Ruth and she said about setting one up. The idea stayed in my head and I thought what the heck might as well set up another one! Thanks Ruth, lol!!!!

At the moment there are no posts on there, but beware there could be an e-mail coming to you shortly, lol!!!

If you would like to feature your work on the blog, e-mail me the link to your blog and I can "Borrow" your pics from it or you can send me jpegs of your images, but please remember to send me the link of your blog too!!! I will be linking back to your blog in the posts.

This blog is not just for Christmas gifts but any type of gift that you make and give away. What would really be useful for me is if you can give your work a name, as I am useless at making up names. I so struggle when I make my layouts, lol!!!

If you don't have a blog and would like to see your work displayed send me some jpegs of your work and I will post them up for you (wink, wink, Brenda)

Tuesday, 25 November 2008

this time for the Advent Calendar blog!!Maddy awarded the blog which is ace as the blog is only new and not a lot on it at the moment, (thanks so much for nominating it Maddy!!) but still worth taking a look at the fantastic Calendars that are featured on there! Handmade Advent Calendars

I don't want to break up the flow of posts about the calendars so anything like this will be posted here, but I will post a pic of the award on the Calendar blog, with a link to the person that nominated it!

Now I have to pass it forward and these are the rules:

The winner may put the logo on their blog. Put a link to the person who sent you the award. Nominate 5 blogsand put links to their blogs and leave a message for your nominees.

I have only just given this award out a little while ago, so what I am going to do is .... nominate the first 5 comments on this post the award! Lazy I know!!! LOL

Monday, 24 November 2008

I have been given this award by Heather and what an award it is, I am thrilled to have received it. This is a special award read the following ....

This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships!These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

Now I need to choose 8 people I think deserve the award

No. 1 - Tracey - Tracey is a very dear friend to me. We met on-line seems likes years ago now, and I am very fortunate that Tracey lives near me. We have become very good friends both on-line and IRL and I treasure this friendship.

No. 2 - Kath - I met Kath first on-line again, and have had the pleasure of meeting her too, through our LSS. Kath is nearly always the first one to congratulate or leave the most fantastic comments on my blog, and recently I commissioned her to make a Baby Blanket for my new niece, and wow, it was absolutely fantastic, what a heirloom for my niece to pass down.

No. 3 - Micayla - Another on-line friend that lives nearby, and who I am dying to meet (and Emily of course), but we are like ships passing in the night, LOL always missing each other, which hopefully will be fixed soon. Her blog is amazing, she does things with paper that would be soo outside my box but which I love.

No. 4 - Maddy - WOW, love this lady's blog, but also love all the lovely comments that she has left on my blog.

No. 5 - Maya - this lady has a fantastic blog and is so creative, and again when she visits my blog she leaves the most fantastic comments.

No. 6 - Tanisha - Who I met through the big blog challenge, and whose blog and photography are amazing. Again another lady who visits my blog and leaves the most beautiful comments

No. 7 - Kathrina - This lady has founded her own stamping company Whiff Of Joy, and she stills finds time to leave comments on blogs

and finally

No. 8 - Gunhild - I have only recently found this lady's blog and I just love how she creates, and she is kind enough to put tutorials on her blog to show us how she done it!!

This was the hardest award that I have given out, I have really tried to pick people who I think really deserve it!

I have seen so many amazing ones during my journeys around blogland that I decided to set up a blog, dictated to just Handmade Advent Calendars. It doesn't matter what type they are (the matchbox ones are my favourite) Matchboxes, cloth, chipboard, etc

When I was making my one, I got stuck on some parts and tried to google Advent Calendars to get some inspiration, unfortunately the majority of the images were the usual Chocolate ones, not very many Handmade ones, so this is another reason for my blog - yeah any excuse really, lol

If you know of any calendars that aren't featured in my blog and you think they should be let me know and I will hunt them down!!!!

I want to update this every year once the crafters start making calendars again!

Saturday, 22 November 2008

I went to Paper Paradise yesterday to meet up with Tracey. Tracey told me I had just missed Micayla by 10 mins!!! I was bummed twice over as she had Emily with her!!!

Anyways I had recently won an RAK on her old blog, and she had dropped it off at the shop for me.

Well ya know me, no patience what so ever, so I opened it there, OMG the stash that she put into it is just stunning, I love all of it. Tracey and me were ouuuing and ahhing over it. I won't post a pic as I think it's rude, but I do want to publically thank her and what a better place than my blog to do so! Micayla has been so generous with what she put into the box. And all for leaving a comment on her blog, which I do all the time anyways.

Also that special piece that you put in Micayla, will go towards a layout of my Nan, my Nan was very special to me so I think the two will be perfect together, thank you so much Micayla for parting with it, it is truly stunning!!!!

Monday night Aimee woke up vomiting and this went on every half hour. I think I got about 2 hours sleep if that. I had work in the morning and it was a full day due to an College Observation by my lecturer, so I had to go. I also had college that night. Dh wasn't feeling too good himself so he stayed off work on Tuesday. Aimee was still vomiting. I got a very good report from my lecturer, and to be honest I think I went on auto pilot.

Then Wednesday DH really wasn't feeling good, he also started vomiting. So that was two down with the bug. So that was Aimee and DH not eating. Wednesday night Chloe started vomiting, so that was 3 down. I was running around cleaning up, going to work and cooking food that no-one was eating.

On top of all this I had a lot of assessments and write ups to do for college. I manged to get all this done on Wednesday night, yeah!!! Even though I did stay up until about 3:00 am!!!

Everyone is back to normal today, thank goodness. I have managed to do some crafting, but alot of it I can't show, as those who are receiving it read my blog! So once Christmas is over I will post up pics of all that I have made.

So I apologise if I haven't visited your blog lately, but I have been up to my eyes in it. Over the next few days I am hoping to catch up with everyone.

Tuesday, 18 November 2008

For Georgia's Birthday I made her a little mini book to put photos of herself dressed in the numerous dress up costumes that she has.

I hope she likes it.

I have only 2 decent photos of Georgia dressed in 2 of her costumes, and not in date order, but I hope Ruth doesn't mind too much finishing it off and added more photos.

I have decorated these few pages as I think I remember some of the colours of the dresses, I have also included lots of blank pages for Ruth and Georgia to fill!

I have included extra stickers for them to use as well.

I made it using some carboard from the back of an A4 notepaper pad, and those little CD/DVD protectors, some jump rings, pretty papers (don't know the names as they were in my scrap box), flowers, buttons, princess stickers, stickles and letter stickers.

Sunday, 16 November 2008

This post is another memory keeper!!! I like this blogging as it is a whole lot better than keeping a written diary!

Aimee was invitied to a party this afternoon at a children's play area called Play Towers, it's filled with soft climbing, slides, tunnels and all sorts. Children love it, Aimee certainly did! A quick snap of Aimee during the birthday lunch.

I know I shouldn't but I can't help seeing the differences between Chloe and Aimee at the same age. We arrived at Play Towers a little early, and we couldn't see any of Aimee's friends. Aimee took off her coat and boots and said "here mum, I am going to have a look to see if I can find anyone". Sure enough she found a couple of class mates that were already playing. For the whole time she came to me once when she scrubbed her elbow on a slide, a quick kiss and she was off again. They this huge black slide, I have been down it and it is very fast and really high up, lots of climbing to get to it. Aimee went down this slide I don't know how many times!!! At this age Chloe would of clung to me until she had seen her friends and would of kept comming back to check that I was still there! Amazing the confidence differences between the two, I have always tried to get the girls to be more confident and out going, as I was very shy at Chloe's age. Chloe now isn't shy at all! I have two very confident girls on my hands now, God help me!!!!